Dallas Zoo and Aquarium: Attractions for Kids in Dallas, Texas
Mommy, are we there yet? Daddy, I’m bored! Does this sound familiar? Residents of Dallas don’t have this problem often. That is because there are so many attractions for you to take your children to.
One great place to take your kids is the Dallas Zoo. The Dallas Zoo sprawls across 97 acres and is home to over 8000 animals! Here you will find various special attractions. The most popular is the Wilds of Africa exhibit. This exhibit covers 25 acres and is shown to you on a 20 minute narrated monorail ride. You may also go on a 1/4 mile nature hike for an up close encounter of some of the native African animals!
The Dallas Zoo also has a very special children’s zoo just for your little ones. Here your kids can pet a goat in the petting zoo, play on the jungle gym, or get a fun and educational experience at some of the kid oriented hands on exhibits.
The Dallas Zoo also has a carousel ride, a huge gift shop, and several food courts for when your little ones tummy’s start to rumble! Admission is free for children under 2, $5 for children 3 through 11, $8 for adults, and $4 for seniors.
The next place you might enjoy is The Dallas World Aquarium located in downtown Dallas. Here you will find a large indoor aquarium mixed with a rainforest! First I’ll tell you about the aquarium. It features over 85,000 gallons of saltwater with marine animals from all over the world. There is a large predator exhibit that hosts numerous sharks, a manatee exhibit, and a 22,000 gallon walk through tunnel that gives you an up close look at reef life!
Next is the indoor 8 story rain forest exhibit. Here you will find Monkey Island (which is host to many species of monkeys) and a free flight aviary that allows dozens of different bird species to fly and interact about you! Hold your kid’s hands as you walk through Crocodile Cove and The Cave (which is home to lots of bats)! You will also find the Giant River otter, lots of Piranhas, Anacondas, and many other animals!
If you think you have seen it all, guess again. The Dallas World Aquarium also has an outdoor exhibit of some cute little penguins! If you get hungry, you will be happy to know that there are two restaurants and one cafe located inside. For you shoppers, you will find an enormous gift shop! Admission is free for children under 2, $8.95 for children 3 through 12, $15.95 for adults, and $12.95 for seniors.
Now it is time for one last attraction. Actually, it is more like 16 attractions all in one place. This is at Fair Park in Dallas. Fair Park has over 300 acres of exhibits, museums, and park like attractions. Fair Park is the host of the yearly Texas State Fair. It also has the famous 71,000 seat Cotton Bowl Stadium.
One attraction that you may like to take your children to at Fair Park is the Science Place. This museum offers various hands on exhibits that offer children a fun way to learn about science and technology. It also is home to an IMAX theater with a huge 79 foot screen and a planetarium!
Another great attraction is The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park. This aquarium is home to over 5000 aquatic animals including: endangered sea turtles, jelly fish, sharks, sea horses, alligator snapping turtles, piranhas, alligator gar, and many more!
Next we look at the Dallas Museum of Natural History at Fair Park. Children really enjoy this one. Here you will find dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, a fossil lab, and a mineral exhibit. There is also an extensive exhibit on all of the fossils that have been found right here in Texas!
Another favorite attraction is the Age of Steam Railroad Museum. This museum is said to be one of the finest railroad museums in the southwestern United States. It is home to several old locomotives, passenger trains, vintage cabooses, dining cars and more!
You may be thinking that it is going to cost you a pretty penny to see all of these attractions at Fair Park. But actually, it won’t. Rather than pay for each attraction individually, Fair Park has a passport that lets you see all of the above attractions, plus several more. The entire list of the attractions included in the passport are: The Dallas Aquarium, The Age of Steam Railroad Museum, The Dallas Museum of Natural History, The African American Museum, The Hall of State, The Science Place, The Women’s Museum, and The Texas Discovery Gardens.
The Fair Park passport is $23.99 for adults, $13.99 for children 3 through 12, and free for children under 3. It allows you to get into all 8 of the Fair Park attractions listed above for 90 days from the original purchase date. You need to plan at least two days to see all of these attractions. They are sure to tire your kids out, not to mention you too!
If you are visiting Dallas or if you are a current resident, these attractions are sure to please your children. Even if you don’t have any children, you may enjoy seeing some of these attractions for yourself!
